(WNY News Now) Governor Kathy Hochul announced that subway fare evasion has decreased by 26% in New York City since mid-2024 as a result of a multifaceted strategy that includes improved enforcement, updated infrastructure, and creative tactics. This is a significant step in the right direction.
Significant advancements have been made in the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) multifaceted efforts to prevent fare evasion, according to Governor Kathy Hochul. The last six months, from June 2024 to December 2024, saw a 26% decrease in metro fare evasion. Over the same time period, fare evasion has decreased by 9.1% on buses, including the local and express bus networks. This development comes after a thorough strategic reaction that was carried out by Governor Hochul, the MTA, and the NYPD. This response included changes to fare gates at several subway stations, a planned deployment of enforcement, and other actions that helped to lower fare evasion. The Governor also emphasized current initiatives to further combat ticket evasion, such as the installation of new fare gates at 20 busy stations this year and anti-fee evasion devices at all subway turnstiles.
In order to safeguard taxpayers and transit users and to keep bolstering our transport system, we are fighting fare evasion, Governor Hochul stated.With strict enforcement and new features coming to subway turnstiles and fare gates across the system, we will continue to crack down on fare evasion this year. Our work is far from done.
Our approach has been to raise awareness of the problem’s gravity, erect more robust physical barriers, and ensure that there is ample enforcement, stated MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. It’s beginning to pay off, and we appreciate the cooperation we’re receiving from Governor Hochul and the NYPD as well as the job MTAPD is doing on the trains.
“Fare evasion undermines the very system that moves New York City and provides essential transportation for our communities,” stated Demetrius Crichlow, president of NYC Transit. For the first time in years, our team has achieved significant strides in reducing fare evasion. We will keep looking into every option to guarantee fare compliance and maintain an egalitarian system.
“This notable decrease in fare evasion is an important first step in our efforts to make the transit system safer for all New Yorkers,” stated NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. The NYPD will continue to patrol every station and overnight train to make sure that crime continues to decline throughout our transportation system, and everyone should be able to use the subway without worrying about violence or mayhem. I express my gratitude to Governor Hochul and the MTA for their collaboration in maintaining the safety of our city.
With the MTA losing an anticipated $690 million in unpaid fares and tolls in 2022, the fare evasion situation had escalated to crisis proportions, according to the MTA’s Blue-Ribbon Panel study.
Governor Hochul and the MTA have implemented the report’s recommendations to implement a comprehensive strategy that includes continual modernization of fare gates and turnstiles, strategic enforcement deployment, and other steps to reduce fare evasion. In order to improve on-the-ground resources and the amount of summonses for fare evasion, this endeavor has also involved tightening coordination with the NYPD.
There has been a noticeable improvement in the findings. The percentage of metro users who avoid paying the fare has decreased from 14% to 10% between June 2024 and December 2024. Fare evasion on buses, including the local and express bus networks, has decreased by 9.1% from 50% of passengers dodging the fare last summer to 45%, which represents a significant change in the fight against fare evasion.
Enforcement Strategy Deployment
NYPD Cooperation
In 2024, the NYPD issued 143,100 TAB summonses for evading subway fares, a 96% increase over 2019. In order to promote fare compliance throughout all five boroughs, the NYPD also established a new uniformed Bus Enforcement Unit, which has been deployed in conjunction with the MTA’s EAGLE Team.
Enforcement of Bus Fares: MTA Eagle Team
In order to maximize the deployment of the EAGLE squad, the MTA’s civilian bus fare inspection squad, to the bus stops and times of day with the highest concentration of pay evaders, the MTA adopted a data-driven strategy in response to the Blue-Ribbon Panel Report’s recommendations. In addition to monitoring fares on local and SBS bus lines, EAGLE Team inspectors are tasked with issuing summonses and educating the public about fare payment choices with the assistance of the NYPD. Since September 2024, the MTA has increased the deployment of EAGLE Teams, requiring bus fare payment on 148,000 buses at more than 370 stations. To further monitor and discourage fare evasion, the MTA plans to equip buses with sensors and screens in 2025.
Enforcement of Subway Fares Guards at the gates
Using a data-driven strategy to maximize deployments based on station characteristics, usage trends, and other factors, the MTA expanded the number of unarmed gate guards from 50 to over 208 subway stations. Fare evasion is discouraged by gate guards.
Environment: Enhancing the Environment for Fare Control
The MTA is implementing data-backed changes to more fare gates throughout the subway system, building on a number of successful tests from 2024. By merging numerous initiatives, the MTA anticipates an even bigger impact.
Changes to the Turnstile
In order to establish more robust and durable barriers against fare evasion, the MTA has taken action to address evasion strategies at the turnstiles. This includes installing turnstile fins at 20 fare control places and rearranging 75% of all turnstiles to prevent back-cocking, which has deterred and decreased the amount of people leaping the turnstile.
The MTA plans to expand this effort in the upcoming months by installing a newer generation of fins, testing more anti-jumping measures, and finishing anti-back-cocking upgrades at the remaining turnstiles in the system.
Stopping Fare Evasion’s Superhighway
Pilots have shown that delaying the emergency exit gate’s opening by 15 seconds can save money and reduce gate evasion by over 40%. In 2025, the MTA plans to expand on this successful test by implementing the delay at exit gates in at least 150 stations, starting at Jay St-MetroTech, Canal St, 161 St-Yankee Stadium, and 34 St-Penn Station.
Contemporary Fare Gates
The MTA installed a new full array at Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av, where fee payment rose by 20% over 2023, and replaced the old emergency exit gates at Atlantic Av-Barclays Center, 34 St-Penn Station, and Astoria Blvd with new, accessible wide-aisle gates.
The MTA issued a Request for Information (RFI) in December 2023 in order to qualify the upcoming generation of contemporary, safe, and accessible fare gates. The MTA started testing promising gate technologies in-lab after obtaining and assessing 12 answers from gate vendors. By the end of 2025, 20 stations will have new fare gates implemented and tested in-system by the MTA, with another 20 stations to follow in 2026.
Stations with more ridership, accessibility features, and significant fare evasion will be given priority by the MTA. The first installation will start at Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue, Delancey St-Essex St, and 42 St-Port Authority.
This adoption will be expedited even more by the MTA’s proposed 2025–2029 Capital Plan, which includes $1.1 billion to install contemporary fare gates in at least 150 stations around the system.
Other Techniques to Cut Down on Fare Evasion
In 2024, the MTA began adopting best practices in behavioral change to further reinforce the need for fare payment. The MTA is redefining social norms around ticket paying with campaigns that emphasize the humanity of transit workers and foster a feeling of community responsibility to digital signs on buses emphasizing that fees are due.
The significance of paying fares is emphasized by the MTA’s collaboration with NYCPS to promote students’ use of OMNY cards. The number of rides and weekly active rides among students has increased by 51% and 18%, respectively, since the introduction of student OMNY cards in September. Additionally, the number of taps per active card increased by 27% from 2023 to the previous semester. Constant fraud monitoring has been implemented as a result of the new relationship with New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) to make sure student cards are being used by the designated student. Additionally, the MTA has established 15 Customer Service Centers that will be linked to the MTA’s Reduced-Fare program and Fair Fares, the City of New York’s program that offers qualified New Yorkers half-fare MetroCards and OMNY accounts.